Book sales, a lure for money and more takeaways from the AP investigation into Supreme Court ethics

book sales

The documents reveal how college visits are a convenient way for judges to sell their books.That is especially true when Judge Sonia SotomayorHe is a prolific writer who has managed the court’s most active travel schedule over the past decade, according to records reviewed by the Associated Press.

Emails and other documents show that Supreme Court officials have been directly involved in promoting book sales, asking schools how many copies they want to buy and helping to arrange bulk purchases.

At a 2019 event co-sponsored by the Multnomah County Library in Oregon and Portland Community College, Deputy Mayor Soto told organizers that 1,000 people were expected to attend and that the program, which would require participants to make one copy, would include ” 250 books is definitely not enough.” This is to sign autographs with the judges after the event.

Michigan State University purchased 11,000 copies to distribute to incoming freshmen. When Clemson University in South Carolina worried that 60 copies would be too many for Sotomayor to sign, an official said, “Most colleges order in the 400-plus range.” reassured me.

And ahead of a scheduled visit to the UC Davis Law School for the 2018 commencement ceremony, court officials suggested using the event as an opportunity to distribute books.

A Supreme Court spokesperson said in a statement that officials are committed to following judicial ethics guidelines and “never required attendees to purchase books to attend the event.”

“From time to time, the school invites Judge Sotomayor to participate in a program in which Judge Sotomayor selects books for the whole school or freshman class and gives book talks by the judge,” the statement said. “When she was invited to participate in the book program, Chambers staff would select the number of books based on the size of the audience so as not to disappoint attendees who were expecting books at the event. and put the university in it. Please contact Judge’s publishers when asked.”

temptation for money

Supreme Court justices have argued that they cannot and will not participate in the fundraiser. However, according to emails obtained by the Associated Press, the court’s definition of fundraising — an event that raises more money than it costs or invites guests to donate — includes persuading wealthy donors to write checks. It has been shown that it does not involve much of the work that is normally done for

As such, the school is given wide discretion to attract wealthy patrons.

For example, prior to a 2017 event with Judge Clarence Thomas, officials at McLennan Community College in Texas teamed up with prominent conservative attorney Ken Starr and his wife Alice to reward school patrons. , created a guest list intended to encourage future donations. Ms. Starr’s widow called it “friendship making” in an interview.

In an email planning the event, the executive director of the university’s foundation wrote that he had an idea of ​​who to invite. “Mainly because they are wealthy conservative Catholics who would align themselves with Clarence Thomas and who have never donated before.”

Thomas isn’t the only judge whose position has been used by schools eager to raise money from donors. Before Judge Elena Kagan visited the University of Colorado Law School, an official suggested “increasing the staff-to-donor ratio” at a 2019 dinner with her, an email reveals. rice field. Another event organizer said organizers “welcome suggestions on which VIP donors we should engage with.” A school spokeswoman said attendees were not asked for donations related to the event.

South Carolina’s Clemson University hosted Sotomayor for a 2017 session with students and a private luncheon. One official said he hoped the event, which also included donors, would “ultimately generate resources” for the university’s humanities promotion committee, which played a leading organizational role. As university officials compiled the invitees list, one alumni official wrote, “When you say $1 million donors, be sure to include corporate donors at that level.”

A court spokesperson said in a statement: “We regularly ask event organizers to confirm that the events in which the judge speaks are not fundraisers and have defined a ‘fundraiser’ to avoid misunderstandings. there is,” he said. A spokesperson said judges sometimes refuse to attend events even though they have been explicitly told they are not fundraisers.

political exchange

university visit Although advertised as academic in nature, it also facilitates encounters between judges and elected officials.

A few months after taking office on the Supreme Court, Justice Neil Gorsuch held a hearing in the then Senate Minority House hosted by the Judicial Research Center, named after one of McConnell’s close friends, a former federal judge. I attended an event at the University of Kentucky with Mitch McConnell, who was the general affairs officer. .

In 2020, after teaching a week-long course at the University of Florida Law School, Mr. Thomas spent an extended state stay to attend a meeting of the Federalist Society’s local chapter, where he was introduced to enthusiastic praise by Governor Ron DeSantis. rice field. He also had a private dinner.

Thomas also attended a private dinner hosted by a group of congressional donors at the time during his visit to the University of Texas at Tyler. Louis Gomart. Six years later, Gohmert spearheaded a lawsuit seeking to give Vice President Mike Pence the power to overturn the outcome of the 2020 presidential election that Donald Trump lost.

A court spokeswoman said, “Judges should follow the guidelines of the Code of Conduct, which warns judges against engaging in political activities, and exercise caution when attending events that may be viewed as political in nature. are paying for,” he said. Merely attending an event that may also be attended by elected officials, such as some of the events described in your email, does not necessarily make the event inherently political. It does not mean. “

No code of ethics

Some of the conduct uncovered by the Associated Press likely violated a code of ethics that covers not only lower federal court judges, but employees in other branches of government.

For example, lower court judges are generally prohibited from engaging in fundraising, political activity, or “lending the prestige of the judicial office” to further their own “private interests.” Supreme Court justices are only required to adhere to what Chief Justice John Roberts called in April a set of “fundamental ethical principles and practices.”

The information in this book review has led to a plummeting confidence in the court, in part due to a series of press revelations about court members, including ProPublica reports that Thomas repeatedly accepted lavish vacations, including a $500,000 trip to Indonesia. announced at a time when In 2019, he sold his property to the nephew of billionaire businessman, Republican donor and longtime friend Harlan Crowe, and received his school fees.

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